Manufacture of carbid.



. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN L. HARTENSTEIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MES NE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ELECTRO CHEMICAL & DEVELOPMENT COMPANY. OF PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

MANUFACTURE OF CARBID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rotenteu may 1, 1906.

Application filed July 23,1902. Renewed September 30, 1905. Serial No. 280.724.

to use a smaller percentage of carbon in order to promote the reduction of the material to liquid or fluid condition, enabling the mass to flow or to be tapped from the furnace ra idly, an electric or other furnace being emp ioyed for reducing the-material to fluid or liquid condition. During the melting and converting operation in the furnace considerable quantities of metallic calcium are produced and which metallic element is'produced in larger quantity in proportion as the quantity of carbon element used is reduced, and when the finished product is cooled down the calcium remains disseminated ormixed throughout the lump or ingot of carbid, and under the action of water in the subsequent operation of generating'gas from the carbid free hydrogen is produced from such metallic calcium, and which hydrogen of course detracts from the illuminating quality of the gas produced and the resence of which is otherwise seri' ously Ob ectiOnable.

It is among the special objects of my present invention to avoid the objections noted I and to produce a finished product which is entirely and perfectly converted throughout its entire mass and wherein the generation of hydrogen in the subse uent operation of generating gas is avoided, proving the illuminating produced.

In carrying out my invention I supply to the carbid or mass while still in a molten condition carbonto replace the percentage of that element which had been previously withheld from the materials prior to the fusing or converting operationto promote the fusion or melting operation, and which carbon or carbonaceous material so supplied to the quality of the gas By reason of the thereby greatly immolten mass serves to effect a complete conversion of any disseminated unconverted or metallic elements, constituents, or particles of the mass.

In practice the carbon element is en plied to the molten mass referably in free, ne, or bolted condition. i have found-that any desired form of carbonaceous materialsuch, for instance, as coke, charcoal, 'or lampblackmay serve the desired purpose. This carbonaceous material may be added or supplied'to the molten mass in any suitable or convenient manner. I have found in practice that a convenient arrangement is to sprinkle or otherwise suppl the finely-divided carbonaceous materiai into a heated mold, reservoir, or other receptacle, into which the molten mass is delivered from the 4 electric or other furnace or otherwise. The carbon is quickly and rapidly absorbed by the molten mass, a port1on of the carbon combining with a portion of the oxygen of the'metallic or unconverted particles or elements of the molten mass, thereby liberating gas which bubbles up through the molten manner I produce a pure article the illuminating power of which is greatly enhanced by reason of the absence of hydro en and every particle of which is utilized in the production of as.

same to liquid pr fluid condition, and finallysupplying carbonaceous material to the mass while in a molten condition, to complete the conversion of metallic elements or particles of the mass.

2. In the manufacture of carbid, the method which consists in first fusing limecontaining material with only a smallpercentage of carbon, to reduce the same to liquid or fluid state, and then applying carbonaceous material to the molten mass while in fluid or liquid condition to complete the conversion.

3 In the manufacture of carbid, the,

method which consists in first fusing limecontaining material in the presence of only a small amount of carbon, to reduce the same or other receptacle, and applying thereto carbon in'a finely-divided state, and finally .delivering the molten mass While still in a liquid or fluid condition into such mold, whereby'the finely-divided carbon completes the conversion of any unconverted metallic particles of the mass.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 14th day of July, 1902, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses,

' HERMAN L. HARTENSTEIN.

Witnesses:

.FRANK T. BROWN,

S. E. DARBY; 

